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These homemade chicken nuggets with ground chicken are easy, delicious, and even better than drive-through. They’re made with simple, wholesome ingredients that your whole family will love.
Easy Homemade Nuggets You’ll Love
I’m a Registered Dietitian and I am shamelessly a HUGE chicken nugget lover. They’re delicious and so versatile! I love chopping crispy chicken nuggets up in a salad or serving with my favorite dipping sauces. Here’s why you’ll love ’em!
- Wholesome, simple ingredients. I’m not anti-frozen nuggets (hello, convenience!), but I love that these are homemade with just a few easy steps and minimal ingredients right from my kitchen.
- Family favorite. Does it get more kid-friendly than chicken nuggets? This homemade chicken nugget recipe is a staple in my house because I always know they’ll be loved by all!
- Baked instead of fried. Unlike many traditional chicken nuggets, these are baked instead of fried and only use a light spray of oil for crisp.
- Freezer-friendly. If you’re someone who likes having nuggets in the freezer, these store and reheat great too. Make a double batch and your future self will thank you!
You’ll have to try my Cheese Chicken Nuggets or Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets next!
Ingredients
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Ground chicken: These nuggets are made with ground chicken, so the texture from ground meat gives them more of a fast food nugget texture versus a chicken tender texture. You can use 99% or 93% lean chicken breast.
- Breadcrumbs: You can use standard bread crumbs, panko breadcrumbs, or even make your own by pulsing dried out or toasted bread in a food processor.
- Parmesan cheese: Grated parmesan is one of my favorite additions to ground chicken nuggets- it adds some salty cheesy flavor that’s delicious.
- Eggs: Eggs to help bind the breading to the chicken and create a crispy bite.
- Worcestershire sauce: For some extra savory flavor.
- Spices: You’ll need salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder to season both the chicken breast and the breadcrumb mixture.
- Cooking spray: Since these are baked, cooking spray helps to create the crispy exterior that we want from the nugget coating.
Variations
- Use ground turkey. Simply swap the chicken for turkey for turkey nuggets.
- Chicken breast nuggets. Use cubed chicken breast for another simple variation of homemade chicken nuggets.
- Veggie nuggets. Use my Cauliflower Chicken Nugget recipe!
- Cheesy nuggets. This Cheesy Chicken Nugget version is a major favorite too.
- Make ’em spicy. Turn up the heat by adding 1/4-1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper to your breading or ground meat mixture.
Step-by-step instructions
- Add nugget ingredients. Combine ground chicken breast with parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and spices in a bowl.
- Mix! Mix all ingredients thoroughly until evenly distributed in the chicken mixture.
- Make the breading. Make your breadcrumb mixture in a large plate or large bowl with low sides. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and spices.
- Make your nuggets. Form the ground chicken into small nugget shapes. Coat with beaten egg, and then coat with breading mixture.
- Spray. Add formed and breaded chicken nuggets in a single layer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake. Bake nuggets in the oven for 20-25 minutes until chicken nuggets are golden brown and completely cooked through, flipping at about 15 minutes.
Dipping Ideas
Nuggets are even better with a delish dip. Here are a few of my favorite sauces and dips!
- Cottage Cheese Ranch Dressing
- Big Mac Sauce (Healthy Burger Sauce Recipe)
- Creamy 3-Ingredient Honey Mustard Dip (High Protein!)
- Creamy Poblano Ranch Dressing
- Buffalo Ranch Sauce (Dressing or Dip!)
- Easy Creamy High Protein Hummus
How To Store
Store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days, or store in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Making a big batch of these homemade nuggets and freezing them is a great way to “meal prep” and save yourself money.
Jamie’s Tips
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the spray! The cooking spray makes a big difference in the crispiness of your nugget coating. Avocado oil spray is my personal favorite for it’s high smoke point.
- Make in the air fryer instead. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook for 10-12 minutes. I recommend spraying your air fryer basket with cooking spray, lining with parchment paper or using a silicone air fryer liner.
- Use a cookie scoop. One of my favorite tricks for chicken nuggets (and meatballs) is to use a cookie scoop. Scoop into a clean or gloved hand, and then shape your nugget. It keeps the size consistent.
- Use the air fryer. Easily make these air fryer chicken nuggets by air frying at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway.
More Family Friendly Meals
Homemade Chicken Nuggets with Ground Chicken
Easy baked homemade chicken nuggets made with ground chicken and a few other simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Ground chicken mixture
- 1 lb ground chicken breast
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Breading ingredients
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Start by making your breadcrumb mixture in a large plate or large bowl with low sides. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and spices.
- In another medium sized bowl, combine ground chicken breast with parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and spices.
- Next, beat eggs on a small plate or in a small bowl.
- Set up your stations for making the chicken nuggets. You'll need your bowl of ground chicken, your bowl of breading, and your beaten egg.
- Using clean hands, form the ground chicken into small nugget shapes. Coat with beaten egg, and then coat with breading mixture. (Makes about 20 nuggets depending on size)
- Add formed and breaded chicken nuggets to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake nuggets in the oven for 20-25 minutes until chicken nuggets are golden brown and completely cooked through, flipping at about 15 minutes. If you use a meat thermometer they should read at least 165 degrees.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 4nuggets | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1019mg | Potassium: 458mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 389IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + star rating below!
This was easy to make and much better than store bought. We will make this again!
So glad you enjoyed these! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂
Can you freeze these?
I don’t see why not! 🙂
Do you cool them through before freezing or freeze them raw?
Freeze them cooked for sure, just like regular frozen chicken nuggets 🙂
These were so delicious!! I keep making them lol
Thanks!!!
So happy you’re enjoying them!!
When you freeze them how do you reheat them?
You can bake them at 400 degrees for about 7-10 minutes or use an air fryer at 400 degrees. Just reheat to 165 degrees internal temp :). You can microwave them too but they won’t come out quite as good!
Can I use already cooked chicken to
Make this? I cook a whole chicken and so I have frozen already cooked chicken, but want some nuggets. Would it work?
Unfortunately no, I don’t think so!
How many nuggets is a serving?!
It depends on how many nuggets you make! I like to make 20, and each serving is 5 nuggets 🙂